Although bicycle patrol units had been used in some large cities in the 19th century, bicycles were gradually dropped in favor of motorcycles or cars. The Seattle Police Department re-instituted the practice in 1987, starting with two officers. Bicycles allowed the officers to move about the urban and suburban setting quickly and easily.

Here, Alex Wiggins, Tony Little, and Steve Kilburg (left to right), members of Seattle's bicycle unit, ride their mountain bikes down a stairway in a park-like setting.

Caption information derived from captions written by Post-Intelligencer staff and attached to the back of the photograph.
Additional caption information: Seattle Police Department; Wikipedia.